Stapling device



sept 9, 1947.

1 www H J www m ww m@ m w I Tz i Nw JT w, QW ,mvlh. -h5 y Y Nu M@ Nw Nw. QQ WQ El? El Mn m m m m n. I IMN E Nu W s m Im P d H s m MN u.

@pin 99. H. J. SPENCER STAFLING DEVICE Filed Deo. l5, 1944l 5 Sheets-Shee'b 2 H. J. SPENCER STAPLING DEVICE Sept, 9, i4?.

I Filed Dec. 15"]1944 5 sheets-sheet s willl lulu..

A Y QN lnwL A d .I NVE NTOR Herma/7 Jfoencerl Sept 147. l H. J. SPENCER :2942795228 STAELING DEVICE Filed Dec. l5, 1944 5 ShetflS-Sheei1 4 INVEN'roR Herman J.' Spencer Sept. 9, 1947. H. J. SPENCER STAPLING DEVICE" Filed De'c. l5. 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 wmf mwN

INVENTOR Herma/7 J. Sp enger Patented Sept. 9, 1947 UINITED STATES PATENT-.OFFICE STAPLING DEVICE Herman J. Spencer, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application December 15, 1944, Serial No. 568,303

8 Claims. l

This invention relates to a device for staplintr multiple thicknesses of material together.

This lapplication is a continuation in part of my application, Serial No. 462,022, led October 14, 1942, for Stapling device.

It is desirable, in numerous instances, to secure multiple thicknesses of material together where only the upper thickness is accessible. A familiar example is the securing together of the lapped side and end flaps of the conventional corrugated-board box. The devices available heretofore for performing such operations have not been entirely satisfactory and it is the object of my invention to improve generally thereon and to provide a device capable of securing multiple thicknesses of material with conventional, i. e., straight-headed and straight-sided, staples, when only the upper thickness of material is accessible. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide staple-driving means and means cooperating therewith effective to curve the entering ends of the staple legs progressively after they have penetrated the surface of the upper layer, whereby the staples are finally clinched after penetrating the second or other subsequent layer. I also .provide means for preventing bending of the legs of the staple above the surface of the upper layer. By the aid of the invention, I avoid the necessity for special or deformed staples which are costly to manufacture and difcult to feed and drive.

The aforementioned preferred embodiment and practice of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my stapling device;

Fig. 2 is a longitudina1 section therethrough taken along the plane of line II-II of Fig. l showing the parts in initial or starting position;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the cover plate removed, showing the parts in normal or starting position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in intermediate position;

Fig 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in fully actuated position;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in actuated position;

Fig. 7 is a partial front elevation with parts removed to exhibit the underlying structure;

Fig. 8 is a partial transverse sectional view taken along the plane of line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a similar view taken along the plane of line IX-IX of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view partly in section along the plane of line X-X of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a similar view along the plane of line XI-XI of Fig. 6

Fig. 12A is a front elevation of a block inserted in the housing or body of the device;

Fig, 13 is a section taken therethrough along the plane of line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is an elevation of one of the die plates which effect the progressive bending of the entering ends of the staple legs;

Fig. 15 isan edge view thereof;

Fig. 16 illustrates one of the adjusting gudgeons on which the die plates are pivoted;

Fig. 17 is a sectional view through lapped thicknessesof corrugated board illustrating the condition of the staple after it has been fully driven;

Fig. 18 is a partial section similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification with the parts in position to be operated; and

Fig. 19 is a View similar to Fig. 18 showing the parts in operated position. A,

Referring now in detail to the drawings, vthe staple-driving mechanism o f my invention indicated generally at Il) comprises principally a housing or body I I, an insert block I 2 and a cover plate I3. Spaced side walls I4 extend laterally from the body portion and are connected by a web The housing IIis recessed as at I6 to provide A a guide-way for a vertically reciprocable plunger II. The guide-way is defined by the cover plate I3 and a transverse web I8, in addition to the spaced sides of the housing which are connected by said web. An additional web I9 also extends between the side walls of lthe housing adjacent the bottom of the recess I6.

The plunger I'I includes a staple driving, platelike projection 20 extending downwardly therefrom the link 2l and having a handle or knob 2l,

provides means whereby the linkage may be ex- Y tended to cause the plunger to descend, as shown Figs. 12 and 13, is generally U-shaped in plan,

including spaced side members 2'9and a central ofthe faces43 `serve as guides for `the backs of the staple-legs. g i y As the lower ends of the staple legs engagev the 'projections 53 on the die plates 46, they are curved inwardly, as shown in Fig. Ll. As this inward curving of the staple legs commences, the upper portions of the legs are held against inyward .bending by the lower portion of the abutment 31 which still projects between the staple legs. lThe. engagement of the staple legs with the projections 53 tends to force theuppei` ends of the plate 46 inwardly but, as previously pointed out, such movement is prevented by engagement with the edges of the driving plate 20.

y. On further descent of the plunger and driving plate, the curving of the staple legs continues progressively, vto effect tight clinching by the time the plungerreaches its lowermost position asv cure the two thicknesses tightly together.

When the plunger and driving plate have reached their lowermost positions, the notches 55 in the edges of the plate are in alinement with the upper ends '54 of the die plates whereby inward movement thereof is permitted. The projections 53 are thus free to open up and clear the clinched staple so the device can be removed to another point at which a staple is to be driven.

The operation of the gripper angles 60 to feed the staples forward has already been described. It will be apparent from such description that on swinging the lever V26 upwardly to retract the plunger and the driving plate, the angles 6U having already Aclosed down on the staples, will move forward to feed another staple into a position in alinement with the end of the driving plate.

The apparatus described above operates quite satisfactorily with staples formed from relatively light-gage stock. When heavier staples are employed, however, the spring-pressed plunger 31 may not exert su'cient force to overcome the tendency for the staples to bend sharply at their corners instead of progressively on a smooth curve throughout the length of the legs. For use with staples formed from heavier stock, I provide a modified device including a supporting member or forming bar having a portion which projects into the path of the staple being driven, adapted to be progressively displaced thereby, and controlled by the descent of the plunger. The supporting member performs two functions. In the first place, the upper surface of the member supports the crown of the staple as it is being driven. In the second place, the sides of the forming member support the unbent portions of the staple legs and prevent bending thereof at the corners, thus insuring the progressive bending of the staple legs on a smooth curve throughout their length. 'Ihis modification is illustrated in Figures 18 and 19.

As shown in the drawings, the modified form of stapllng device is generally similar to that already described, corresponding parts being designated by the same reference numerals, or the same numerals with a prime afxedwhere slight differences exist. The cover plate |13 is recessed toy receive a bearing block l15 and a forming bar or supporting lever. 16 pivoted thereon at 11. The lever 16 has a toe 18 atA the lower en d thereof adapted lto project into the opening in the yoke 32 and into the path of a staple being driven by plate 20 of plunger I1', in about the same manner as the sloping front face 44 of the abutment 31. The upper end of the lever 16 has a cam roller 19 engaging the adjacent face of the plunger I1 the upper end of which is machined out cen: trally on a curve as indicated at 80.

The upper surface of the toe 13 slopesdownwardly and inwardly. As a result, a staple being driven Vtends to displace the toe and tilt the lever clockwise in somewhat the same manner as the abutment 31 is displaced. This condition is illustrated in Figure 19. The toe 18, however, is held in staple-supporting position-by the engagement of the roller 19 with the face of the plunger l1' and tilting of the lever is permitted only when the plunger has descended suiiiciently to permit the roller to enter the machined-out portion 80. It will be understood that the parts areso designed that tilting of the lever is permitted in time for it to clear the descending staple while continuing to support it progressively.

As already stated, the upper surface of the toe 18 supports the crown of the staple. At the same time, the side surfaces of the toe support the unbent portions of the staple legs, thereby preventing bending of the staples at the corners thereby insuring the progressive bending of the staple legs on a smooth curve.

It will be apparent that the forming bar or supporting lever 16 performs the same functions as the plunger 31 but differs therefrom in thatythe retraction of the toe 18 is positively controlled bythe'descent of the plunger, instead Of'simply by the compression spring used with the plunger 1. Stapling mechanism comprising a housing, a, plunger reciprocable therein, a staple guide extending at an angle to the path of the plunger 'and terminating adjacent thereto, and die plates pivoted on said housing adjacent said path, said plates having knife-edged projections below the end of said path, extending inwardly thereof, adapted to penetrate the material to be stapled and effective to impart a curve to the ends of the legs of a staple delivered along said guide and driven downwardly by said plunger, said plates also having means adjacent theirupper ends adapted to engage said plunger to hold said projections in staple-bending position.

2. Stapling mechanism comprising a housing, a plunger reciprocable therein, a staple guide extending at an angle to the path of the plunger and terminating adjacent thereto, die plates pivoted on said housing adjacent said path, said plates having knife-edged projections below the end of said-path, adapted to penetrate the material to be stapled extending inwardly thereof, and effective to impart a curve to the ends of the legs of a staple delivered along sai-d guide and driven downwardly by said plunger, and means adjacent the upper ends of said plates engaging the plunger for rigidly holding said plates with their projections in operative position until the plunger has substantially completed its stroke.

3. A stapling device comprising a housing, a staple driving plunger reciprocable therein, means for feeding staples into position to be cammen inegnsffor 'feeding jstaples inte position to be frs een

fdifen yiseidilungeifineanssin the path' through which the staple is driven by said plurgeizfa hen-ding tnestiaple legs)rogressiyel-y as they 'are `:drin/en, fe, ffcri'ni'mg; 4bar pivoted intermediate its tends "iin said -hciising, the Vflower end -of said "bar 'Fl'favixig a toe projecting iincoV said 'path -to support; atthe Afsieipie cr'ovn land fbe displaced liihereby, ,the wsides f fthe bai' supporting :the nnb'eni; .portions fofthe *steple liees, a 'cam surface 'on 'the 'plunger fend calm ergegngsieensonfthe .upperfen'c' of'fthe 'liar effctivet'ofcon'trol the-'disp'lacementfof said izcefiniaceordan'ce withthe descent of theiplunger.

W. Istapling device Acomprising fa fhousing, fa. staple-driving .fp'lunger .frecip'i'ocabie therein, rmea'ns for 'feeding `'staples 'into position to be fdrivenby said plngernnealns in'thezpaththrugh `whicl'i the staple 'driven 'liyrsaid 'plunger fior Lbending `the .staple *legs progressively as theyfae diiizen, fa forming `br pivoted on said .housing "tilting movement and having arto@ projectling Vinizopsad p'zlth #for progressively supporting :the :crown o'f the staple :from below While lit; Eis fbeug idriven, :and :means limiting tilting -imovennent'cfisaid-bar iniaccordance with the descent :of theplunger.

i8, :TA-stapling' device'as f dened fby: claim.- 1 echarzacterized :by means 'on fthe plunger :for causing aan instantaneous 1inward movement', fofssai'd :projections :to :clinch 'the staple legs ifinally v'when they'have #been substantially fullyfdefprmed.

HERMAN J. SPENCER. 

